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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23943100">Protect Her</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/halcyyonn/pseuds/halcyyonn'>halcyyonn</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Miraculous Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Akumatised Chat Noir, Angst, Chat Blanc - Freeform, F/M, Happy Ending, Identity Reveal, Mariblanc, chat noir akumatised</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 00:26:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,847</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23943100</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/halcyyonn/pseuds/halcyyonn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Chat Noir is akumatised after he realises Marinette nearly got hurt in a fight. He sets out to find her, only to have Ladybug attempt to stop him.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>226</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Protect Her</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The akuma had been too close to her. What if she had been hurt because he couldn’t save her in time? He would never forgive himself for letting a friend get hurt, especially when he had the power to save them.</p><p>What if it happened again?</p><p>A voice in the back of Chat Noir’s head began to speak, whispering cruel things to him. ‘It would be your fault if anything happened to her, because you were too weak to protect her. You won’t be able to protect anyone you love, because you’re weak.’</p><p>Shaking his head, Chat tried to throw the thoughts out of his mind, but they were stuck fast. Imaginary claws dug deeper into his mind, staking their claim on his thoughts and leeching through his brain.</p><p>“It wasn’t my fault, it’s not ever going to be my fault. It was the akuma, I reached her just in time. It wasn’t my fault!” Turning and punching the nearest wall, Chat shouted at himself. It wasn’t his fault, it wasn’t his fault.</p><p>“It was your fault.” Another voice joined into the one sided conversation he was having with himself. “But I can help you make sure no one you love ever gets hurt again. My name is Hawk Moth, and I can help you, Chat Blanc.”</p><p>Even though Chat knew he was talking to the villain that had put Marinette in danger in the first place, the promise of keeping everyone safe was enticing. But would the cost be worth it?</p><p>“You clearly have feelings for the girl you saved earlier, why wouldn’t you want to protect her?”</p><p>He didn’t have feelings for Marinette, did he? He loved Ladybug and Marinette wasn’t Ladybug. They acted different, stood differently, spoke to the people around them differently. While Marinette was kind and looked after the people around her, Ladybug saved everyone without thinking. They were both confident, but in different ways. They were both incredibly admirable, but did Chat love Marinette?</p><p>On the other hand, if he didn’t at least have a crush on her, why would he feel so badly about barely saving her in time?</p><p>Chat Noir had made his choice. “I will work with you, as long as I can protect Marinette.”</p><p>“All I ask in return is Ladybug’s miraculous. Then, you will have all the power you could ever wish for.”</p><p>Letting himself be consumed by the thick, purple smoke, Chat let himself be consumed by the negative emotions akumas thrived on. Thoughts were slowly blocked out until Chat had a one track mind; he had to protect Marinette. Anyone that crossed him would suffer.</p><p>Chat Blanc flicked his staff out and rolled it over his wrist before twirling it in his palm. It was time to find Marinette and make sure no one could ever harm her again. </p><p>He felt powerful. No one could stop him, no one could stand in his way.</p><p>She would be at home, which meant that would be the best place to look for her. Soon, she would be under his protection and she would never have to be afraid again. </p><p>Not bothering to care about the civilians wandering the streets that could possibly see him, Chat headed towards the bakery. Using every ounce of speed granted to him by both his miraculous and the akuma, he arrived in only minutes. There was no way Ladybug would have worked out where he was going in such a short amount of time.</p><p>Tiles crunched underneath Chat Blanc’s feet as he landed, cracking and splintering beneath him. More tiles crumbled under the pressure of his steps as he stomped towards Marinette’s trap door. He was sure the building beneath him was shaking, but who was going to stop him?</p><p>“Cataclysm.” Chat summoned a small ball of destruction in sing-song voice that sounded like it came straight from a horror movie. As soon as the trapdoor disintegrated against his palm he stuck his head through the gap. “Marinette? Where are you?”</p><p>“She’s already gone. I knew you were coming and evacuated everyone in the area.” Ladybug dropped onto the balcony behind Chat, spinning her yo-yo in case she needed to make a quick exit. She had no idea how Chat Blanc would react to her, especially since she didn’t know why he got akumatised.</p><p>“Are you going to let her separate you from the girl you wish to protect, Chat Blanc?” Hawk Moth spoke again, knowing this would play right into his hand. </p><p>Chat turned to face Ladybug, ready to fight her if needed. He didn’t care that they were partners, all he cared about was Marinette and protecting her. If Ladybug was going to stand in his way, she would have to face the full force of his wrath.</p><p>“Where is she?” Slowly walking towards her, Chat gave Ladybug a chance to save her own life. He knew she wouldn’t take it, but it was worth a shot.</p><p>He was terrifying. Hair bleached a sickly white and skin as pale as death itself, Chat Blanc looked maniacal. It wasn’t only that, though. His eyes, they were dead. Even though they were a vibrant blue, there was nothing behind them. Soulless, cold, heartless. Where had the Chat Noir she knew gone?</p><p>She didn’t want to fight him, but she also couldn’t say where Marinette was. Revealing that would also give away her identity, and that would put everyone she loved in danger. This was bigger than just herself, she was partly responsible for the safety of everyone in Paris. “I can’t tell you that. I won’t put civilians in danger.”</p><p>“Then I guess I’ll have to do this the hard way.” Charging forward, Chat raised his baton above his head, preparing to strike Ladybug.</p><p>“I don’t want to hurt you!” Ladybug rolled out of the way just in time, letting the akuma destroy even more tiles. Realising she was running out of space on her balcony, Ladybug turned and threw her yo-yo into the distance, trying to give herself as much of a head start as she could get.</p><p>“Too late, Ladybug,” Chat rasped, freeing his baton from the tiles and leaping after Ladybug. He would find where Marinette was and protect her, even if he had to destroy the entire city to do it.</p><p>She had to run. She had to find somewhere she could fight, somewhere she had time to find his akuma and purify it. Somewhere that no one would be hurt if everything went wrong. Chat Blanc was the most dangerous akuma she had ever faced. The only other miraculous holder to be akumatised was Chloe, even then she was hard to defeat. </p><p>This was going to be even worse, considering she was fighting her partner and the holder of the only miraculous equal to hers in power. </p><p>Landing on a roof on the outskirts of Paris, Ladybug swung her yo-yo in slow circles while she watched the horizon for Chat Blanc. Surely, he shouldn’t be taking this long to arrive, considering how close to her he had been before.</p><p>The impact of someone landing behind her was the first sign Chat had arrived. The second was the boot slammed into her back, sending her sprawling forward onto the hard concrete of the roof. Ladybug’s could feel the blood dripping out of her lip when she accidentally bit it from the impact, but knew she would have bigger problems soon. </p><p>Chat Blanc walked closer, not waiting for Ladybug to get back onto her feet. She was the only obstacle between him and his love, and she wasn’t going to be an obstacle for long. </p><p>Grabbing his former partner by the back of her suit, Chat held her in the air. Ladybug dangled from his hand, feeling completely useless. She had dropped her yo-yo when she fell, and had watched as it skittered over the edge of the building. Gone. </p><p>“I’ll give you one more chance, Ladybug. Where is Marinette?”</p><p>Ladybug shook her head and wiped blood from her face. “I’m not going to tell you, Chat Blanc. You aren’t going to hurt any civilians!”</p><p>A smile twisted across Chat’s face. She would cave eventually, then he could take her miraculous and find Marinette. It was only a matter of time. </p><p>Realising what his smile meant, Ladybug struggled against Chat, punching him in the arm. Choking out a few words, she kept trying to escape. “Let me go!”</p><p>The best she could hope for was Chat let her go now, the worst result she could imagine would be if Chat decided to summon his cataclysm. That would mean there was no way of purifying the akuma and Paris would be doomed.</p><p>Rolling his shoulders, Chat moved faster than Ladybug could process. In seconds, she was hurtling through the air. Without her yo-yo, she had no way of stopping herself as she smashed into a building. The wall dented around her and dust sprinkled over her face.</p><p>Chat Blanc was in front of her in seconds, grabbing her arm and throwing her over another building as they fell. She would have to give in soon.</p><p>Out of instinct, Ladybug called her help from the one person she thought she would always have. “Chat Noir! Help!”</p><p>Something at the back of Chat Blanc’s mind recognised that scream. It was Marinette’s. When had she gotten here?</p><p>Ignoring Hawk Moth as he began to shout, Chat vaulted over the building in the direction he had thrown Ladybug. He had to save Marinette. </p><p>Chat landed on the edge of the building and looked around. The only person anywhere was Ladybug, but he had definitely heard Marinette scream for his help. But if he heard Marinette and saw Ladybug, that could only mean one thing…</p><p>Ladybug was Marinette.</p><p>And Marinette was falling to her possible death. Instantly, all the negative emotions the akuma was feeding off disappeared, ejecting the akuma from Chat Blanc’s body. Chat Noir was left standing on the edge of a building, watching in slow motion as the love of his life fell.</p><p>“Marinette!” Leaping off the building, Chat aimed his staff at the gutter of the nearest building and propelled himself down faster to catch up with her. The second he was close enough to Ladybug, Chat wrapped his arm around her waist and moving them so he would hit the ground first, not her.</p><p>“Chat Noir?” Drifting in and out of consciousness, Ladybug made out the familiar black suited hero looking back at her, instead of the glaring white suited villain. </p><p>“I’m so sorry, Marinette, Ladybug, whichever one you are whenever. I am so sorry. I can’t believe I didn’t realise sooner, then all of this could have been avoided.”  They hit the ground, but Chat barely noticed. He was too busy apologising to Ladybug.</p><p>“It’s okay, Chat. I forgive you.” Ladybug let her head rest against Chat’s shoulder. “If you can find me my yo-yo, I can fix everything.”</p><p>“Anything for you, M’lady.”</p><p>“Call me Marinette.”</p><p>Chat smiled softly, hugging Ladybug closer. “And you can call me Adrien.”</p>
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